Common seal pups and mackerel in Clew Bay

Felipe, Monica fishing for mackerel and Mariana at the helm onboard “Rebecca,” on a wildlife tour among the inner islands of Clew Bay, County Mayo, July 2018

Sleeping Common Seal adult with two pups, on an island in Westport Bay, County Mayo 2018

Boat trip to the seal colony in Clew Bay

Ireland has two species of seal. The Common or Harbour seal and the Grey seal.
Clew Bay is a Natura 2000 site and has both species but the Common seal is the more numberous. Many Common seal pups are born by early July. Pups accompany the female adult Common seals hauled out on the island skerries in Westport Bay. Unused to boats the pups are nervous and take to the safety of the tide when first approached. On a recent trip we found a female apparently with two pups contentedly asleep, at first mistaking them for dead seals.